"A child's learning is the function more of the characteristics of his classmates than those of the teacher." James Coleman, 1972

Tuesday, August 21, 2012

Walmart Soon Selling Monsanto's Poison Corn

When bugs eat Monsanto's genetically-engineered corn, they die, and when Roundup is sprayed on Monsanto's Roundup resistant corn, the weeds around the corn die. And yet Monsanto's and Walmart's paid scientists say the corn is entirely safe for humans. When the same corn was marketed in Europe with the mandated labels for genetically-modified food, no one bought it, just like no one would here if they knew. Since labeling became mandatory in Europe, these products are not even marketed in stores anymore. Walmart, however, refuses to label its poison corn in the US, and Monsanto has launched a multi-million dollar campaign in California to block the labeling of its poison products in California supermarkets. They know that when consumers know, their gig is up. From RT:

America’s largest bio-agriculture company and the biggest retailer in the country are joining forces, but a happy ending isn’t necessarily in sight. Walmart will soon be stocking their shelves with GMO corn made by Monsanto.

Millions of Americans shop at Walmart, but that doesn’t mean that they all know what they’re getting as they check out in shopping centers across the country. The retail giant says they won't advertise which of their products are made with genetically modified organisms, or GMOs, which could become a big problem very soon. Zack Kaldveer explains in an editorial published by the California Progress Report this month that Walmart will soon sell a special factory-made corn manufactured by Monsanto, which while it will allow most of Americans more easy access to affordable food, will also fill them with unknown insecticides: the very GMO crop Walmart will be selling has been genetically engineered to include chemicals right inside the corn.

Voters in California will decide later this year if retailers on the West Coast will be legally bound to correctly label all foodstuffs sold in shopping centers that are made from lab-alerted, genetically modified foods. Notwithstanding that ruling, one of the largest retailers in the world says that they won’t worry about advertising their GMO foods as the product of scientists in the meantime because, simply, they don’t see enough of a reason to do as such.

"After closely looking at both sides of the debate and collaborating with a number of respected food safety experts, we see no scientifically validated safety reasons to implement restrictions on this product," company representative Dianna Gee tells the Chicago Tribune. . . .

You can fight back, however. Join the effort to make labeling mandatory. From AZGREEN:

Nation of Change appeals to its supporters to help them combat environmental destruction caused by Monsanto’s genetically modified organisms – seeds. The campaign endeavors to raise funds to erect a billboard ad in Monsanto’s home town, St. Louis, Missouri.

Dear Friends,

Over the last year, you have stood with us as we Occupied at Zuccotti Park, Washington DC, San Franciscoand other cities across the nation. We fought for economic equality and social justice for all and you joined your voices with ours as we took a stand against war, environmental destruction and most recently against oil baron billionaires the Koch Brothers.

Now we turn our attention to an entity that has been poisoning our people, strangling the agriculture industry, and damaging our biosphere all while paying off our politicians and regulatory organizations.

The multinational biotech giant MONSANTO is the world’s leading producer of genetically modified seeds and crops, responsible for 90 percent of the genetically engineered seed on the United States market.

Monsanto, the company that brought the world Agent Orange, is also the creator of the best-selling herbicide Roundup, which has spawned over 120 million hectacres of herbicide-resistant superweeds while damaging massive amounts of soil.

Monsanto has created several varieties of “superbugs”. Monsanto engineered genetically modified crops containing Bt, a toxin incorporated in GMO crops which has spawned insect populations which are resistant to the biopesticide. Insect populations have and are mutating to resist the biopesticide. So far at least 8 insect populations have developed resistance, with 2 populations resistant to Bt sprays and at least 6 species resistant to Bt crops as a whole. Farmers are therefore forced to use even more pesticides to combat the resistant bugs.

Monsanto may be destroying the planet’s soil. Certain bacteria essential as “food-starters,” such as L cremoris, used in raw and fermented dairy products have begun to disappear in certain geographic regions. The cause has been found to be an element of Monsanto’s Roundup herbicide, glyphosate which is destroying and/or altering the microbial biodiversity of the soil, jeopardizing the fertility of the entire biosphere.

Monsanto has been caught running “slave-like” rings, holding off pay and forcing undocumented workers to buy their food only from the Monsanto company store. The company not only ‘hired’ all of the workers illegally, but prevented them from leaving the farm premises and withheld their salaries.

Monsanto effectively owns most US diplomats, and is currently using this political capital to start “Trade Wars” against Nations Opposed to Monsanto’s destructive policies. France, Hungary, and Peru are a few of the countries that have decided stand up to Monsanto with Hungary going as far as destroying 1000 acres of maize found to have been grown with GMOs. Peru has passed a monumental 10 year ban on modified foods and French legislatures are planning to launch new restrictions regarding the use of Monsanto’s 810 maize on French soil.

Monsanto poses one of the greatest threats on the planet to human health and the environment.

NationofChange is teaming up with activists across the country for an ongoing campaign to fight backagainst one of the worst corporations in the world.

The first step: raise awareness about Monsanto’s crimes against human health and the environment.